The point is not to make every screen a problem, or to expect parents to manage every moment without one. A young child benefits from having more than one way to wait, settle, or engage, so the phone does not become the condition for every small transition.
Make a small waiting kit
Put three rotating items in a bag or nearby drawer: a small picture book, reusable stickers, and a simple search game such as “find something green.” Nothing has to be new. What matters is that these items appear mainly in waiting moments.
Before offering a device
Say, “We have five minutes to wait. Do you choose the book or the search game?” When you do choose a screen, make it a clear choice rather than a silent response to every uncomfortable moment, then return to a real-world activity afterwards.
Today’s next step
Prepare one waiting kit from things you already own and try it during one outing this week.